Carolyn L. Gordon joined the Fuller faculty in 2007 as associate professor of communication, and she chairs the Department of Preaching and Communication. She came to Fuller from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, where she served for five years as associate professor of church and community. She has also taught communication and public speaking courses in a variety of contexts. Dually ordained by both the Southern and the National Baptist conventions, Gordon has more than a decade of pastoral experience during which she preached regularly. She directed the Ministries in Higher Education department of the Washington DC Baptist convention for six years, and has experience as a television producer and host as well.

Gordon is a regular lecturer at church-related conventions and conferences, and has served on the executive boards of the Center for Urban Church Renewal, United Inner Cities Services, and Baptist Women in Ministry. She has received numerous honors and awards, including Outstanding Black Alumni (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004), Outstanding Baptist Chaplain Recognition (1997, 1998), Most Supportive Faculty (Black Image Award, 1992), Woman of Color of the Year (1990), and Outstanding Young Woman of America (1983–1988). Her current research interests include communication theology: what God intended for the spoken word, preaching to senior adults, preaching to those with disabilities, and vocal development and the maintenance of the preaching voice.

Areas of Expertise, Research, Writing, and Teaching

Public speaking, homiletics, mass media and communication, church and ministry communication, radio and television broadcasting, the missional church, church and community relations